Music from the ground up
Music education is key to the education of young children, since it boosts their brain plasticity and their cognitive and socio-affective development.
At the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation we work to ensure that no child is excluded from music learning, promoting an inclusive, equitable and quality education, which is necessary to reduce social inequalities. We want children from low-income families to have access to music, as it is key to their children’s education: it boosts their cognitive and socio-affective development, improves their brain plasticity, and helps to reduce school failure.
For this reason, in collaboration with the Liceu Conservatory Foundation and the Parish Schools Foundation of the Archdiocese of Barcelona, we promote the Primary Music programme, a project dedicated to the social integration of the most underprivileged environments through music. Our aim is to transform lives and neighbourhoods.
The project began in the 2016-2017 academic year with three primary schools located in Barcelona neighbourhoods at high risk of social exclusion and a significant economic and cultural gap: Escola Bon Pastor, in the Bon Pastor neighbourhood; Col-legi Santíssima Trinitat, in the Trinitat Vella neighbourhood; and Escola l’Esperança, in the Baró de Viver neighbourhood. This year, we have added a new school: Escola Pia Sant Antoni, in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood.
The Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation, the Liceu Conservatory and the Parish Schools Foundation of the Archdiocese of Barcelona, together to promote the Primary Music Education program.
What is the Primary Music programme all about?
The Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation provides the schools with teachers from the Liceu Conservatory (in addition to the school’s own teachers) to give extra hours of music lessons. Thanks to this sponsorship, it also furnishes a bank of instruments and other necessary materials for the students to actively participate in class. From 3rd grade onwards, students are provided with a woodwind or brass wind instrument to join a wind band. Each child can choose his/her own instrument, which they will use throughout primary school.
From the 4th year of primary school onwards, students who have been part of a wind band can take advantage of the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation’s scholarship system, in collaboration with the Liceu Conservatory. The instrument teachers evaluate their abilities, interest, and music skills, and, together with the schools, assess their suitability to become scholarship holders who will continue their training at the Liceu Professional Music Centre.
Adding students, enthusiasm, and new projects
Currently, after completing the six-year cycle of Primary Music education, following the Conservatory’s methodology, more than 600 students from 1st to 6th grade of primary school have already participated in the programme, developing their creativity and artistic sensitivity by playing different instruments.
On the other hand, the bank of instruments already exceeds 200 pieces, including wind instruments, keyboards, drums, and other percussion instruments.
Regarding the results of the programme, all 6th grade students finish the course with the Basic Level diploma. Those who wish to do so can take the entrance exam to continue their training at the Liceu Professional Music Centre and access the 1st year of the Professional Degree thanks to the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation scholarship.
The expectation for the coming years is to be able to develop a Secondary Music project, focused on flamenco, hip hop or other contemporary music genres that may attract the interest of young students. Many of them probably will not become professional musicians, but thanks to this project they will enjoy the benefits of music education, both in terms of learning and of strengthening cultural and emotional ties.
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